News Analysis India

Tag: G20

  • January will be dotted with G20 events across the country

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The spotlight will be on India for a major part of 2023, especially during the over 200 meetings that have been slated to be held under India’s G20 Presidency. January will be a busy date as working group meetings would be held across ten different locations and in addition, there would be one virtual meeting.

    “The events will be held across different parts of the country under different segments. Kolkata will host the first meeting on global partnership for financial inclusion between the 9th and 11th. A working group meeting will be held on health in Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai will host a meeting on education, while Guwahati will host the first sustainable financial meeting and Chandigarh will host the first financial architecture meeting,” said sources.

    Identifying the venue, and ensuring the safety and comfort of all the delegations was a long and arduous process.

    The G20 events in India are being held in a centralised way, unlike what was being done in Indonesia, where each event was handled by a different set of departments/officials.

    “We have ensured that the delegates are comfortable, whilst they visit different places in India. All venues were inspected before they got the go-ahead for hosting these events. Adequate arrangements have been made for their security and comfort too. We would hope that they take back memories of India which they share back home,” said sources.

    During the month of January, a virtual meeting will be held on the 17th and 18th on the digital economy. This is likely to attract more participants.

    The ten physical meetings that have been slated for January will be held in Kolkata, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhopal, Gandhinagar, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Chandigarh and Chennai.

    “Visitors will be able to savour local delicacies through specialised chefs and artisans will also display their ware. The venues where these delegates will be hosted will be blocked for only the G20 to ensure privacy,” sources added.

    NEW DELHI: The spotlight will be on India for a major part of 2023, especially during the over 200 meetings that have been slated to be held under India’s G20 Presidency. January will be a busy date as working group meetings would be held across ten different locations and in addition, there would be one virtual meeting.

    “The events will be held across different parts of the country under different segments. Kolkata will host the first meeting on global partnership for financial inclusion between the 9th and 11th. A working group meeting will be held on health in Thiruvananthapuram, Chennai will host a meeting on education, while Guwahati will host the first sustainable financial meeting and Chandigarh will host the first financial architecture meeting,” said sources.

    Identifying the venue, and ensuring the safety and comfort of all the delegations was a long and arduous process.

    The G20 events in India are being held in a centralised way, unlike what was being done in Indonesia, where each event was handled by a different set of departments/officials.

    “We have ensured that the delegates are comfortable, whilst they visit different places in India. All venues were inspected before they got the go-ahead for hosting these events. Adequate arrangements have been made for their security and comfort too. We would hope that they take back memories of India which they share back home,” said sources.

    During the month of January, a virtual meeting will be held on the 17th and 18th on the digital economy. This is likely to attract more participants.

    The ten physical meetings that have been slated for January will be held in Kolkata, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram, Bhopal, Gandhinagar, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Puducherry, Chandigarh and Chennai.

    “Visitors will be able to savour local delicacies through specialised chefs and artisans will also display their ware. The venues where these delegates will be hosted will be blocked for only the G20 to ensure privacy,” sources added.

  • Ties with Russia in focus as India helms group of big powers

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI:  As India takes over the G20 presidency – which will be marked by over 200 meetings across the country – one area of concern for some will be about how it tackles Russia. “India’s taking over G20 presidency is well received and we are sure that it will be a success. The only area of concern is how India will deal with Russia,” German ambassador Dr Philipp Ackermann said.

    India has made no bones about its equation with Russia as relations between the two countries have been cemented by enhanced trade ties even during the Ukraine conflict. “India is well prepared for G20, beginning with the Sherpa meeting in Udaipur next week. I was in Havelock Islands, Andamans, last week for the curtain raiser. India is clearly a heavyweight in G20 presidency,’’ Ackermann added.

    India’s G20 presidency will promote sense of oneness, with the theme, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’. “India’s G20 agenda will be inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive.Let us join together to make India’s G20 presidency a presidency of healing, harmony and hope.Let us work together to shape a new paradigm of human-centric globalisation,’’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said while receiving the presidency in Bali last month.

    The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and European Union. During its one-year presidency, India has several things planned. Many delegates from the member countries and guest countries will arrive in India for various programmes.

    Over 100 monuments across India will be illuminated by the G20 logo, which shows a blooming lotus. Over the next few months, there will be a ‘University Connect’ event which will bring together students of about 75 universities.

    NEW DELHI:  As India takes over the G20 presidency – which will be marked by over 200 meetings across the country – one area of concern for some will be about how it tackles Russia. “India’s taking over G20 presidency is well received and we are sure that it will be a success. The only area of concern is how India will deal with Russia,” German ambassador Dr Philipp Ackermann said.

    India has made no bones about its equation with Russia as relations between the two countries have been cemented by enhanced trade ties even during the Ukraine conflict. “India is well prepared for G20, beginning with the Sherpa meeting in Udaipur next week. I was in Havelock Islands, Andamans, last week for the curtain raiser. India is clearly a heavyweight in G20 presidency,’’ Ackermann added.

    India’s G20 presidency will promote sense of oneness, with the theme, ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’. “India’s G20 agenda will be inclusive, ambitious, action-oriented, and decisive.Let us join together to make India’s G20 presidency a presidency of healing, harmony and hope.Let us work together to shape a new paradigm of human-centric globalisation,’’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said while receiving the presidency in Bali last month.

    The G20 comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and European Union. During its one-year presidency, India has several things planned. Many delegates from the member countries and guest countries will arrive in India for various programmes.

    Over 100 monuments across India will be illuminated by the G20 logo, which shows a blooming lotus. Over the next few months, there will be a ‘University Connect’ event which will bring together students of about 75 universities.

  • PM Modi awestruck by Sircilla weaver’s G20 logo

    By Express News Service

    HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio address on Sunday by praising the skill of a handloom weaver in Sircilla, who presented the former, a cloth weaved with the logo of India’s G20 presidency, along with a hand-written letter.

    “Veldi Hariprasad Garu, a weaver brother from Rajanna Sircilla district of Telangana, has sent me a self-woven G20 logo. I was amazed to see this precious gift. Hariprasad Ji has such a mastery over his skills that it attracts everyone towards him. Along with his self-woven G20 logo, Hariprasad Ji has sent me a letter. He says that hosting G20 Summit next year is a matter of immense pride for India. To celebrate this achievement, he has made this logo with his own hands. He inherited this talent from his father and today he is passionately practicing it,” the prime minister said.

    Modi went on to explain that he had launched the G20 logo and website of India’s presidency for the summit, and that the logo was selected through a public contest.

    Expressing his awe over the way people like Hariprasad living in a district in Telangana were able to connect themselves with G20 Summit, he said that many people like him from across the country have written to him saying that they were very proud about the country hosting the G20 Summit next year.

    The prime minister then went on to read the letters he has received from some people on India’s G20 presidency.

    HYDERABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio address on Sunday by praising the skill of a handloom weaver in Sircilla, who presented the former, a cloth weaved with the logo of India’s G20 presidency, along with a hand-written letter.

    “Veldi Hariprasad Garu, a weaver brother from Rajanna Sircilla district of Telangana, has sent me a self-woven G20 logo. I was amazed to see this precious gift. Hariprasad Ji has such a mastery over his skills that it attracts everyone towards him. Along with his self-woven G20 logo, Hariprasad Ji has sent me a letter. He says that hosting G20 Summit next year is a matter of immense pride for India. To celebrate this achievement, he has made this logo with his own hands. He inherited this talent from his father and today he is passionately practicing it,” the prime minister said.

    Modi went on to explain that he had launched the G20 logo and website of India’s presidency for the summit, and that the logo was selected through a public contest.

    Expressing his awe over the way people like Hariprasad living in a district in Telangana were able to connect themselves with G20 Summit, he said that many people like him from across the country have written to him saying that they were very proud about the country hosting the G20 Summit next year.

    The prime minister then went on to read the letters he has received from some people on India’s G20 presidency.

  • Annual G20 Summit opens in Indonesia’s Bali province 

    By PTI

    BALI (Indonesia): The annual G20 Summit opened here on Tuesday with world leaders set to discuss over the next two days challenges triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently topped by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed at the summit venue by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, ahead of the formal opening of the summit.

    “Recover Together, Recover Stronger. Indonesian President @jokowi welcomes PM @narendramodi for the G20 Bali Summit. Detailed deliberations on contemporary global challenges including food & energy security and health are on the @g20org Summit agenda today,” Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.

    After the meeting in Indonesia, India will take over the Group of 20 presidency for one year.

    ALSO READ | Will discuss key issues of global concern with G20 leaders in Bali: PM Modi

    ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger’ was the theme picked by Indonesia when it took charge last year. But the Russia-Ukraine war that began in February now threatens food and fuel shortages. The leaders will hold three working sessions – on food and energy security, digital transformations, and health.

    Modi is expected to participate in all three.

    On the sidelines of the summit, Modi has bilateral meetings scheduled for Wednesday with Indonesian President Widodo, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, French President Emmanuel Macron and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

    The list declared so far by Delhi does not mention Chinese President Xi Jinping, with whom Modi has not met face-to-face since the Galwan Valley clash between the troops from both sides in 2020.

    There was no mention either of a separate meeting with Britain’s new prime minister Rishi Sunak.

    But there is a possibility of more bilateral meetings being squeezed into the schedule.

    The G20 comprises 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the USA and the European Union (EU).

    Together, they account for over 80 per cent of the global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade and two-thirds of the world population.

    A day ahead of the summit, US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi met for three and a half hours in Bali, striking a conciliatory tone against the backdrop of a strain in their ties over self-ruled Taiwan.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has opted out of the Bali summit and sent foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to represent the country.

    But western leaders who seemed to be preparing for a possible showdown over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are unlikely to back down.

    Russia can expect flak, for instance, when the summit discusses ‘Food and Energy Security’.

    Britain’s new Prime Minister Sunak made his intention clear before leaving London for the meeting. “This G20 Summit will not be business as usual,” he declared.

    There is also speculation over difficulties in drafting the summit communique, a consensus document, with the Ukraine issue becoming a stumbling block.

    There is also a possibility of Ukrainian President Vlodoymyr Zelensky virtually addressing the gathering.

    BALI (Indonesia): The annual G20 Summit opened here on Tuesday with world leaders set to discuss over the next two days challenges triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic and more recently topped by Russia’s war in Ukraine.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi was welcomed at the summit venue by Indonesian President Joko Widodo, ahead of the formal opening of the summit.

    “Recover Together, Recover Stronger. Indonesian President @jokowi welcomes PM @narendramodi for the G20 Bali Summit. Detailed deliberations on contemporary global challenges including food & energy security and health are on the @g20org Summit agenda today,” Spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs Arindam Bagchi said in a tweet.

    After the meeting in Indonesia, India will take over the Group of 20 presidency for one year.

    ALSO READ | Will discuss key issues of global concern with G20 leaders in Bali: PM Modi

    ‘Recover Together, Recover Stronger’ was the theme picked by Indonesia when it took charge last year. But the Russia-Ukraine war that began in February now threatens food and fuel shortages. The leaders will hold three working sessions – on food and energy security, digital transformations, and health.

    Modi is expected to participate in all three.

    On the sidelines of the summit, Modi has bilateral meetings scheduled for Wednesday with Indonesian President Widodo, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, French President Emmanuel Macron and Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

    The list declared so far by Delhi does not mention Chinese President Xi Jinping, with whom Modi has not met face-to-face since the Galwan Valley clash between the troops from both sides in 2020.

    There was no mention either of a separate meeting with Britain’s new prime minister Rishi Sunak.

    But there is a possibility of more bilateral meetings being squeezed into the schedule.

    The G20 comprises 19 countries: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the USA and the European Union (EU).

    Together, they account for over 80 per cent of the global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade and two-thirds of the world population.

    A day ahead of the summit, US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi met for three and a half hours in Bali, striking a conciliatory tone against the backdrop of a strain in their ties over self-ruled Taiwan.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has opted out of the Bali summit and sent foreign minister Sergei Lavrov to represent the country.

    But western leaders who seemed to be preparing for a possible showdown over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are unlikely to back down.

    Russia can expect flak, for instance, when the summit discusses ‘Food and Energy Security’.

    Britain’s new Prime Minister Sunak made his intention clear before leaving London for the meeting. “This G20 Summit will not be business as usual,” he declared.

    There is also speculation over difficulties in drafting the summit communique, a consensus document, with the Ukraine issue becoming a stumbling block.

    There is also a possibility of Ukrainian President Vlodoymyr Zelensky virtually addressing the gathering.

  • Cabinet approves preparations for India’s G20 presidency

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved setting up of a G20 secretariat to put in place arrangements required for India’s presidency of the prestigious grouping.

    India will hold the Presidency of the G20 from December 1 to November 30, 2023. India will host the G20 summit next year.

    “The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, today approved the setting up of a G20 Secretariat and its reporting structures, which will be responsible for implementation of overall policy decisions and arrangements needed for steering India’s forthcoming G20 Presidency,” the government said in a statement.

    G20 is the premier forum for international economic cooperation that plays an important role in global economic governance.

    “As per practice, a G20 Secretariat is being established to handle work relating to substantive / knowledge / content, technical, media, security and logistical aspects of India’s G20 Presidency,” according to the statement.

    “It will be manned by officers and staff from the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Finance, and other relevant line Ministries / Departments and domain knowledge experts,” it said.

    The government said the secretariat will be functional till February 2024. Italy held the G-20 presidency in 2021 while Indonesia will play the role till November, 2022. Italy, Indonesia and India are the G20 troika countries at present.

  • Oxfam calls for urgent G20 action to tackle vaccine inequality, climate change & economic recovery

    By PTI

    NE DELHI: Oxfam has called on G20 leaders to take urgent action to dramatically scale-up manufacturing and access to Covid vaccines around the world, promote a fair economic recovery, fight hunger and help the poorest countries adapt to climate change.

    The 2021 G20 Summit is scheduled to take place in Rome, Italy on October 30-31.

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also scheduled to visit the two-day summit.

    In a statement, Oxfam said leaders at the G20 Summit must tackle the unforgivable scandal of vaccine inequality and systemic mismanagement of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has sparked an unprecedented wealth grab.

    “Rich countries originally promised that any successful vaccine would be a global public good and pledged 1.8 billion doses to developing countries. A year later, they have delivered just 261 million (14 per cent). While their own vaccination rates are high, at 63 per cent, just 1.8 per cent of people living in poorer parts of the world have been fully vaccinated,” the statement said.

    G20 leaders must take urgent action to dramatically scale-up manufacturing and access to Covid vaccines around the world, promote a fair economic recovery, fight hunger, lower dangerous greenhouse gas emissions, and help the poorest countries adapt to the climate change already happening, it said.

    “Meeting in Rome at such a time of public health and economic turmoil amid a worsening climate crisis, G20 leaders have a choice –either take urgent action against COVID-19, hunger, and climate change, or continue doing what they have been doing, talking some of the talk but walking none of the walk,” said Oxfam’s Senior Advisor Jorn Kalinski.

    Rather than supporting common-sense proposals by India and South Africa for trading nations to waive the intellectual property rights and patents on vaccine technology in order to increase production and lower vaccine costs for all, rich countries have instead hoarded more vaccine doses than they need and supported the big pharmaceutical companies to retain all of the vaccine science and know-how, Oxfam said.

    “None of us are safe from coronavirus until all of us are safe, but rich countries and pharmaceutical corporations have instead created a vaccine apartheid,” said Kalinski.

    “In Rome, G20 leaders must put aside their differences and start the process to share the rights and the technology to vaccines, and scaling-up manufacturing around the world to ensure everyone has access to them,” he added.

    The G20 is a leading global forum that brings together the world’s major economies. Its members account for over 80 per cent of the global Gross Domestic Product (GDP), 75 per cent of global trade and 60 per cent of the population of the planet.

  • Nirmala Sitharaman to attend G-20 joint finance, health ministers meet in Rome

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will attend the G-20 joint Finance and Health Ministers meeting in Rome on October 29, which among other things will discuss COVID pandemic prevention and response.

    “Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman embarks on an official visit to attend #G20 Joint Finance & Health Ministers meeting in #Rome to discuss measures to strengthen #COVID19 #PandemicPrevention, #preparedness & #response. The meeting precedes #G20RomeSummit,” the Finance Ministry tweeted.

    Union Finance Minister Smt. @nsitharaman embarks on an official visit to attend #G20 Joint Finance & Health Ministers meeting in #Rome to discuss measures to strengthen #COVID19 #PandemicPrevention, #preparedness & #response. The meeting preceeds #G20RomeSummit. pic.twitter.com/8oVCoqJkbf
    — Ministry of Finance (@FinMinIndia) October 28, 2021
    Finance and health ministers will discuss how to keep momentum on response to pandemic and build on further coordination arrangements between health and finance ministries.

    On October 29, G20 Finance and Health Ministers will gather in Rome for their first joint meeting under the Italian G20 Presidency.

    The meeting will be co-chaired by Daniele Franco, Italian Minister of Economy and Finance and Roberto Speranza, Italian Minister of Health.

    The meeting will be held on the eve of the G20 Leaders’ Summit taking place in Rome on October 30-31, 2021.

  • India to host G-20 summit in 2023; Goyal appointed sherpa for grouping

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has been appointed as India’s Sherpa for the G20, an influential grouping that brings together the world’s major economies.

    Making the announcement, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday that India will hold the G20 presidency from December 1, 2022, and will convene the G20 leaders’ summit in 2023 for the first time.

    The next G20 Summit is scheduled to take place from October 30 to 31 under the Italian presidency.

    “Piyush Goyal, Union Minister for Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, and Textiles, has been appointed as India’s Sherpa for the G20,” the Ministry of External Affairs said.

    Prime Minister Modi has been leading India’s representation at G20 summits since 2014. India has been a member of the G20 since its inception in 1999. “India will be holding the G20 presidency from December 1, 2022 and will convene the G20 Leaders’ summit in 2023 for the first time,” the MEA said.

    “India will be part of the G20 Troika (preceding, current, and incoming G20 Presidencies) from December 1, 2021 till November 30, 2024,” it said in a statement.

    G20 brings together 19 of the world’s leading economies and the European Union, with its members accounting for more than 80 per cent of global GDP, 75 per cent of global trade and 60 per cent of the global population, according to MEA.

    The G20 member nations are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.

  • Momentum of climate action can be expedited when there is enough financial support: Bhupender Yadav

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The momentum of climate action can be accelerated only when there is enough financial and technological support to developing nations, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said on Friday.

    Speaking virtually on the second and concluding day of the 16 th Environment Ministerial Meeting of G20 countries, Yadav sought that the grouping must respond to the call of science for urgent global climate action in this decade.

    “World has waited long enough for the delivery of promised climate finance and technologies at low cost. We should not be shifting goalposts and setting new benchmarks for global climate ambition,” he said.

    Yadav informed the meeting that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has exhibited exemplary resolve by achieving its voluntary commitment of reducing emission intensity.

    Speaking at different sessions on climate change, he underlined the need to cut absolute emissions rapidly while taking into account the Paris Agreement, which emphasised on respective historical responsibilities, delivery of promised climate finance and technologies at low cost keeping in perspective per capita emissions, differences in per capita GDP and the unfinished agenda for sustainable development.

    The momentum of climate action can be “accelerated only when there is enough financial and technological support to developing nations”, Yadav said.

    “While the promised support, on the basis of which developing countries have taken ambitious targets and have ratified the Paris Agreement, was not delivered, we find that new benchmarks for global climate ambition and climate leadership are being proposed,” the minister was quoted as saying in a tweet by the ministry of environment.

    “In a session on ‘Paris Aligned Financial Flow’ at the ongoing G20 summit, India stated that the momentum of #ClimateAction can only be accelerated when there is enough support through means of implementation, including finance and technology,” Yadav was quoted as saying in another tweet.

    He said that common but differentiated responsibilities to combat climate change, according to respective capabilities and national circumstances, lies at the heart of the UNFCCC and its Paris Agreement.

    “With increase in urbanisation, it is important to create and preserve green spaces and protect biodiversity in urban areas,” the minister said in his virtual address at the summit which was held in Naples, Italy.

    Yadav informed that India’s Urban Climate Actions include Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework, National Mission on Sustainable Habitat, Climate Centre for Cities, Climate Smart Cities Alliance and Climate Practitioners India Network, Urban Forestry.

    The G20 Energy and Climate Joint Ministerial Meeting held at Naples, Italy, was attended virtually by the Indian delegation from the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and the Ministry of Power.

    Yadav stated that India remains steadfast in its commitments to join and lead efforts to combat climate change within the multilaterally agreed convention and its Paris Agreement.

    The minister mentioned the vision of Prime Minister Modi, installing 450 GW (gigawatt) of renewable energy by 2030, enhanced ambition in bio-fuels, India’s nationally determined contributions and various other initiatives taken by India on Urban Climate Action.

    PTI AG ANB ANB 07232140 NNNN

  • Matera Declaration by G20 reflects Indian concern for farmer welfare, agri-diversity: EAM Jaishankar

    By PTI
    MATERA: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has appreciated Italy for highlighting food security and said the Matera Declaration reflects the Indian concern on issues including the welfare of small and medium farmers, and recognising agri-diversity.

    Jaishankar shared his views on contemporary challenges at the G-20 Foreign and Development Ministers’ Meeting in Matera, Italy, on Tuesday.

    “Appreciate Italy for highlighting food security. The Matera Declaration reflects the Indian concern for the welfare of small & medium farmers, promoting local food cultures and recognising agri-diversity,” he said in a tweet.

    “Livelihood, health, digital access and climate action should now constitute the new developmental priorities,” he said.

    The G20 Foreign Affairs Ministers’ Meeting was held in Matera, followed by a joint meeting of the Foreign Affairs and Development Ministers.

    The first joint meeting of Foreign Affairs and Development Ministers ended with the adoption of the “Matera Declaration”, which calls upon the international community to step up efforts to contain the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on lives and livelihoods, and build inclusive and resilient food chains and ensure adequate nutrition for all, in line with the “Zero Hunger” goal set for 2030.

    In the Matera Declaration, the G20 ministers recognised that poverty alleviation, food security and sustainable food systems, are key to ending hunger, encouraging social cohesion and community development, reducing socio-economic inequalities, and promoting overall inclusive economic growth and sustainable development.

    They also called for implementing effective actions for the empowerment of women and youth in the rural-urban continuum.

    The ministers also stressed on enhancing social-protection measures and programmes, with a focus on people living in vulnerable situations, of whom large shares depend on the agriculture and food sector for their livelihoods.

    The declaration underlined the need for increasing catalytic investments for food security, nutrition, and sustainable food systems and territorial development, as part of the substantial COVID-19 emergency funding and longer-term national recovery plans and packages.

    It stressed on accelerating the adaptation of agriculture and food systems to climate change, as increased climate variability and extreme weather events impact agriculture output and are among the forces driving the rise in global hunger while recognising the importance of sustainable agriculture.

    The declaration emphasised on keeping international food trade open and strengthening global, regional and local diversified value chains for safe, fresh and nutritious food, as well as promoting a science-based holistic One Health approach.

    The G20 foreign ministers emphasised that it is crucial to maintain global food trade open, and to keep food markets functioning.

    “We highlight the importance of an open, transparent, predictable and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system, consistent with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules, to enhance market predictability, and allow agri-food trade to flow so as to contribute to food security and nutrition,” they noted.

    International trade is crucial to ensure access to inputs, goods and services to produce safe, nutritious and affordable food, they said.

    “We will continue to guard against any unjustified restrictive and distortive measures that could lead to excessive food price volatility in international markets and threaten the food security and nutrition of large proportions of the world population, especially the most vulnerable living in environments of low food security,” the ministers added.

    The G20 is an influential bloc that brings together the world’s major economies.

    The G20 member countries are Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, the United States and the European Union.